Alternate Glee
by cecilyedandme
Summary: Junior year is about to start when Rachel Berry, Star of Vocal Adrenaline, suddenly has to share her spotlight with newbie Jesse St. James. Will her step sister Quinn Fabray help her to make it through this or is she ending up somewhere else?
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own Glee or any of its characters. Obviously it would have went into an_ alternate_ version then.**

* * *

_Prologue_

The day Shelby Corcoran decided Vocal Adrenaline needed a new male lead she knew her daughter wouldn't be much pleased with it. Outraged maybe. Definitely for sure.

Not that her current male lead couldn't sing but there was something that missed when he sung. Shelby didn't know if it was the passion she once used to have as a show choir lead. She didn't know what he could do to improve his skills. She didn't know if it was just that she didn't think that he could keep up with Vocal Adrenaline's female lead. And she for sure didn't know if she just disliked him a little for dating her female lead, her daughter Rachel.

Rachel Berry always knew that she was going to be a star someday. And Shelby wanted to support her because she knew that this was about to happen.

And maybe, just maybe, Shelby wanted to support her in other ways than what Rachel could have wanted.

Shelby knew the day she decided Vocal Adrenaline needed a new male lead was the day she could dissociate herself from Rachel even if unwanted. Even if she just wanted to make her daughters dreams come true.

But that didn't stop her. Rachel didn't need her mother in her life as long as she could become a star, could make her dreams come true.

And in order to do so she wanted the best male lead available. The best male lead, a boy who could keep up with Rachel, who wouldn't need Rachel to lower her power of voice in order to harmonize somewhat nicely.

And Rachel did have a voice. She knew how to play with it. She could do everything with it even at fifteen. And Shelby was proud of it. This one thing Rachel got because of her mother. The thing that definitely told people they were related, besides the obvious looks of course. Singing was the one thing that united mother and daughter. That made them an invincible team. Two nationals titles had proved.

Even if it meant to get a new male lead and kick her daughters boyfriend out of that position.

Shelby Corcoran knew her daughter wouldn't be pleased with it but she did it anyway.

Even if it meant trouble.

Even if her new male lead would become the biggest rival of her daughter.

Even if Jesse St. James would be able to become Shelby's one great regret.

* * *

**March 28, 2014**


	2. Invitationals

**Happy birthday N.  
**

* * *

_Invitationals_

It had been a sunny week all along and Shelby Corcoran knew everything would be fine about the upcoming Invitationals performance of Vocal Adrenaline this day.

She opened her eyes and smiled for the first time in weeks. Practicing their Invitationals number, song and dancing routine, took a long time since Rachel wasn't in town and Giselle was the first to take lead. If there only had been a lead. There wasn't a solo at all. A completely group number without anyone standing out.

Giselle didn't mind. It was the first time for Vocal Adrenaline without Rachel Berry wanting to control everything. So _she _took the spot. She wanted to proof to anyone that she was the_ truthful _lead. That she should be the female lead. In the beginning Giselle assumed that Rachel just got her spot as lead because of her mother... until she heard Rachel singing for the first time. That day Giselle knew Rachel was competition.

Yeah, sure, Rachel's solo of 'Don't Rain On My Parade' on her first Sectionals competition may have influenced their first win since Nineteen-Ninety-X.

And probably their new coach.

But maybe, just maybe, they could have won too, if Giselle hadn't gotten ill that day and they didn't need Rachel to improvise the Barbra classic. But even then Giselle had to admit that Rachel did a good job. The one thing that bothered her about that day was that she lost her spot as lead the moment she got ill and Rachel got to replace her for _one_ performance. One performance and Rachel was the new female lead... as freshman. Just because of one solo. Or Sectionals win. Whatever.

Giselle knew that she owed Ms. Corcoran much but she couldn't get about her antipathy for Rachel. She needed to proof that she deserved to become lead again. Even after two National titles under Rachel's leadership. She could continue with this. And she wouldn't have to feel like an understudy. God, how she hated that. And little miss high and mighty being herself about it... and being liked for it and stuff. _Damn it. Damn her._

Giselle saw through that act of her. She knew that Rachel was a little insecure brat that got everything just because of her mothers position and influence.

Giselle needed to proof that she deserved to be lead again.

And that was what she was going to perform for.

* * *

Shelby herself was happy that practicing for the Invitationals was finally over. She loved her team and everything they had achieved together but rehearsal past midnight over weeks were a _little_ exhausting. Sometimes she wondered if her students were capable of everything she put them through but they didn't seem to mind in the end. Most of them were getting scholarships for their success at the show choir. Not to mention the gifts of the VA sponsors. Two words: Range Rovers.

Shelby dressed up, took some breakfast for her ride to Carmel High and got into her car a minute later. With some toast in her mouth she wrote Rachel a SMS before starting the car.

_How did it go?_

She pulled out of the driveway and arrived at Carmel a few minutes later.

The sun was already shining bright and it looked like there was a good day ahead for everything.

Shelby felt it in her guts that their performance was going to satisfy their sponsors and the principal. She only hoped Giselle wouldn't overact to satisfy her need of attention. _This girl_, she thought. She knew one day Giselle would drive her over the edge. She couldn't be any more excited about it.

She entered the school, greeted a few people here and there and went directly to the show choir room they only used before they were going to perform. Everyone was already there when Shelby entered the room.

Coach Corcoran went straight to business.

"There are a lot of important people out there." She hesitated. She knew her students were good prepared. They would be great... without a doubt.

She smiled encouraging "Don't screw this."

The Vocal Adrenaline members nodded looking confident as ever.

Shelby left the room leaving her choir behind. She went straight to her seat checking her mobile phone. No message. The auditorium started to fill with people. A few minutes until the show started. Shelby looked around not spotting anyone who drew interest in her. She was getting impatient. And then the lights went off, the curtails opened revealing fifteen boys and fifteen girls standing together in a group.

The boys wore white shirts with dark ties and blue spenders, black trousers and shoes. The girls wore matching dresses in blue with a black petticoat, black dots and small heeled shoes.

The audience politely applauded.

**Ohio. Ohio. Ohio.**

The music started.  
And the dancing begun.  
**They tried to make me go to rehab but I said, 'No, no, no.'**

**Yes, I've been black but when I come back you'll know, know, know**

**I ain't got the time and if my daddy thinks I'm fine  
**Some boys lifted girls on the back of the stage

**He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go**

The audience began to cheer.

A small group of 5 girls walked down the stairs through the aisle the others built,

Giselle being "lead" and taking the first line (pushing a little too hard).

**I'd rather be at home with ray **_**with ray**_

**I ain't got seventy days**

** 'Cause there's nothing **_**nothing**_

**Nothing you can teach me**

The students built somewhat of a dancing circle ending separated,

the girls in three lines on the left, the boys right

**That I can't learn **_**That I can't learn**_** from Mr Hathaway **_**hey yeah**_

The boys and girls danced towards each other, grabbed partners, spun and swirled

**I didn't get a lot in class**

**But I know it don't come **_**don't come**_** in a shot glass**

** They tried to make me go to rehab but I said, 'No, no, no.' **_**yeah**_

One of the boys did multiple cartwheels ending with a salto on the other side of the stage

**Yes, I've been black but when I come back you'll know, know, know**

He repeated the routine ending where he began

The audience cheered

**I ain't got the time **Vocal Adrenaline started clapping to the beat moving,

_**ti-me**_** and if my daddy thinks I'm fine  
**ending standing in the spot they stood when the performance began

**He's tried to make me go to rehab but I won't go, go, go  
**putting their heads down.

The people in the audience gave standing ovation, clapping and cheering.

Shelby sat in her seat satisfied. _That went pretty well,_ she thought until she noticed a young man still sitting in his seat too. Her smile froze for a second. She recognized him immediately. Shelby didn't believe he would come but there he was sitting in all his glory- all arrogantly just like she had guessed. _This is going to be fun,_ she just knew.

* * *

About half an hour and dozens of congratulations later everyone had left Carmel and Shelby went back to the auditorium. The boy sat in his seat checking the time on his phone- which reminded her. Rachel. Shelby looked on her phone reading the text message she had received during the VA performance.

_He choked. Will be back tomorrow._

_R x_

Shelby groaned. The boys head turned towards the sound and chuckled.

"It wasn't that bad, you know. It could be improved here and there and this female lead of yours had some pitchy moments but it was pretty decent. I've seen worse."

That drew Shelby's attention. She smiled at him.

"Well, thank you for your subjective piece of mind but you aren't really in the position to judge that." She already liked his arrogant honesty. "And there was no lead at all. It was a group number without somebody taking the lead."

He grinned.

"Hm. One of the girls didn't seem to mind taking it. Camel skin, black hair? Big attitude?"

_Giselle._ Shelby rolled her eyes at this. She had noticed Giselle pushing too hard but she got sick of trying to talk about it with her. It didn't go anywhere in the end.

She had tried but since Rachel had taken the lead everything had only gotten worse.

Shelby thought about this for a second and an idea started to develop in her head. Then she answered.

"Auditions are starting next week. Some students are already trying to impress me. It happens." She shrugged her shoulders.

He slowly nodded. He wasn't sure about what she was saying but he decided to play along.

"So that's why you invited me? To watch your students? To make up my mind, to look if it's worth it?"

Shelby smiled at that and shook her head.

"No. Because I know that it is. At least it's appealing enough for you to show up. That just has to mean something, don't you think?"

The boy started to like this woman. She knew how far she had gotten and she didn't bother using this for her advantage.

He got up from his seat walking towards her, his clear blue eyes dancing with amusement. _Cocky much__, _she thought.

Once he stood in front of her he reached out his hand and they were shaking hands.

"Jesse St. James. Nice to meet you."

"Shelby Corcoran."

Jesse nodded and waved a little goodbye before he turned around and left the auditorium.

"Rehearsals start at Monday!"

She heard him laugh.

* * *

**A/N: I guess my English sucks but one day I will study it and then I will re-read it and then I'll laugh about all the mistakes I made and correct them.****  
**

**But it just didn't feel right to write this in German. And it would've sounded absolutely ridiculous. _Seriously_. April 2, 2014**


	3. News

**Disclaimer: I still don't own anything** _(__I wish I did :() _**besides any ideas for this story...**

* * *

_News _

_We need to talk about something. Mom._

When Rachel received her mother's message hours after their plane touched Ohio's ground again she didn't know what to expect.

It wasn't even that Shelby wrote her that they needed to talk but the way the message was signed. _Mom._

Rachel assumed the worst.

She didn't know how the Invitationals performance had gone but the text she got from Shelby was sent not that much later.

Rachel didn't want to worry about this now (assuming Giselle would be involved in this story) especially after they just got back from an audition in New York.

And it had been really great. New York had been such a different place with people who couldn't be compared to the people Rachel knew. Everything had been so intense, so full of color and life.

She didn't want to lose that feeling right now. She had been in the city of her dreams and she had never been happier than in this two days that she had spent with her boyfriend Brody.

Ah, Brody. Brody Weston was the male lead of Vocal Adrenaline, a senior with charm and good looks. He was her new start. They hadn't been dating for that long but Rachel could feel their connection since he became part of VA.

They made a good team.

Rachel was well aware of the fact that he wasn't perfect and that they probably wouldn't be together for the rest of their lives but she enjoyed the change that he brought with himself. She loved him for this and she wouldn't let him go anytime soon.

But when she looked at him sleeping in the cab they were driving in to go home she wondered if he should be in the place he was in.

Rachel loved and adored him but she didn't know if he was driven enough to make it in their business. Maybe, just maybe, she thought, he wouldn't- _he couldn't_ be on her side when she made her dreams come true.

Him choking on his audition for their favorite college may could have been proof enough.

But Rachel didn't want to care about that now. She just wanted to enjoy the memories they shared until she would face her mother for whatever bad news she had tried to warn her about.

And these where all her thoughts until she kissed Brody goodbye and fell asleep in her own bed a few hours later.

* * *

The next morning was exhausting. Rachel felt like she had a jet lag after two days which was highly impossible but the got up at 7 o'clock (Rachel used to sleep _late_ at weekends) and started her daily routine nonetheless.

Shelby wouldn't be back until evening and Rachel decided to take a day off now that rehearsals were about to start.

She wanted to enjoy all the rest she could get before rehearsals, before months of practicing until late hours started. Just once she wanted to enjoy the peace.

Not that Rachel didn't love it. Because she did. It was a great chance to prepare herself for her life on broadway. And that had been the only dream Rachel did always have. But sometimes the rehearsals got exhausting, the other member of Vocal Adrenaline fighting for solos they didn't deserve got exhausting and sometimes Rachel just got _exhausted_ of it.

She had been kind of relieved that she got the possibility to go to New York along Brody to visit the college he had been auditioning for. Besides the fact that she could get out of Lima for a few days and take a look on her soon-to-be-future, she didn't have to prepare for Invitationals.

_Let the others do it for once,_ she had thought and she was happy about that decisions. Maybe even Giselle would be satisfied with her _non-solo_ so that they wouldn't have to discuss about that subject. Anymore. Again.

Invitationals hadn't been that important in the first place anyway.

* * *

Around noon, after hours of singing, dancing, and workout at all- _Rachel had gotten bored_, Rachel decided to get ready and call her soon-to-be-step-sister Quinn Fabray.

Quinn was sixteen and like Rachel already a junior. She was head of the cheerleading squad, president of the celibacy club and female lead of William McKinley's High School glee club "New Directions". She basically ruled the school. Quinn would become president, Rachel was sure.

The phone rung and she heard Quinn pick up.

"What did I miss?" Rachel asked.

"Ah, well, I got homework in-"

"Quinn…" Rachel said impatient.

At the other side of the phone Quinn laughed.

"And hello to you too"

Rachel sighed. "Fine then. Oh my lovely sister. How did your week go? Won't you enlighten me about your many going on's and-" Rachel rolled her eyes "Ah, cut the crap."

"Nice try"

Rachel groaned "Please?" She tried.

"Gosh, you're just like your mom"

Rachel went into a defensive mode. "Am not." She clenched her teeth.

"Okay, okay." They needed to change the subject_. Back to the start_, Quinn thought. "So what did you miss? Hmm, all in all VA were doing a great job. It's pretty obvious why we haven't beaten you at Regionals last year."

Rachel laughed. "That's because you're no competition."

Quinn remained silent. Rachel exactly knew where to push her buttons. She hated losing. But Quinn knew better. Something was up.

"What's wrong Rachel?" she asked.

Rachel didn't know how to respond. She couldn't have been any more obvious.

Rachel knew Quinn's glee club, she was friends with some of them and she usually didn't insult them for Quinn's sake. They were nice people. They were a family Vocal Adrenaline never became in the past two years.

Rachel hesitated. "I'm not sure."

She tried to avoid talking about something that bothered her and Quinn was aware of it. But she didn't want to force her into telling it. She knew Rachel. She knew that she was a strong and stubborn person and that she would give in if she was ready and wanted to talk.

"Let's talk about this later, ok?"

Quinn nodded "Ok."

Rachel coughed "So you said something about fantastic?" Rachel asked cocky, returning to her old character.

"Yeah right." She answered ironically "It was good as always. Giselle took lead."

Rachel shook her head. "As if I hadn't seen it coming. Anything else?"

Quinn hesitated.

She wasn't sure about what she had seen after the performance and she didn't know if it was important at all but she wasn't sure if telling Rachel about this was the right thing to do.

"Quinn?"

She decided to tell her everything she knew. It wasn't much.  
"It's just that I saw your mom talking to some boy after the performance." She waited for a response.

"Hm..." Rachel didn't know what to say. "Isn't she talking to many people these days?"

Quinn agreed. "It's just that everyone else was already gone. I haven't seen her doing something like this before. And I'm a great spy. But I haven't seen her acting this way before... All mysterious and careful. "

"Usually she doesn't care about what other people think " Rachel said slowly leaving both thinking. _Mmmhhh._

"Could it be that she is recruiting new members for glee?" Quinn suggested.

That made Rachel think.  
She thought about the message she got from Shelby and that they needed to talk. If she was really recruiting new members she wouldn't have to talk to Rachel about it. She didn't need to justify herself. Rachel really didn't care about new background singers at all.

"Nah. I can't imagine that she would make such a fuss about it. This isn't her style." Rachel answered. She heard Shelby's car pull into the driveway. "But we'll see. I'll tell you as soon as I know, ok?"

"Alright. Bye"

* * *

When Shelby came home and closed the door behind her she almost got the scare of her life.

"God Rachel," she exhaled. Rachel was standing right next to the door frame looking at her with curiosity.

She walked to the wardrobe in the foyer , took her jacket off and put it on the coat hook. Then she looked at Rachel.

"So," she said.

"So," Rachel repeated. "You wanted to talk with me?"

Shelby saw her daughter's mood getting worse with every second that passed.

"Yes," she answered.

"Is it about the boy you were talking to after Invitationals?"

Shelby blinked. She didn't know how Rachel got to know anything about her conversation with Jesse but- _Quinn. Of course._

Shelby rolled her eyes. "I didn't know you let the competition spy me."

"She isn't competition," Rachel spat. "She's going to become your daughter."

Shelby nodded.

"So what is this all about?" Rachel asked impatient. She didn't want Shelby to put on an act any longer.

"Ok then... " It was harder than she had imagined.

"Do it quick and easy. Like pulling off a band-aid." Rachel said encouraging with a fake smile on her face thinking that it couldn't be that difficult or bad._ Okay, she was getting a little mad at this point but Shelby was acting like a child._

Shelby's posture changed.

"I don't need to explain my decisions to you but I guess you deserve to know the truth."

She was looking Rachel straight in the eyes. Rachel's heart fluttered for a moment both excited and scared for what was about to come.

"I recruited a new male lead for Vocal Adrenaline." Rachel's eyes widened. "Brody's out."

* * *

**Another birthday :D Happy 18th Gabi.**

**As you can, eh, read some characters are different than the original ones. There are reasons. How I picture them at this point can be seen on my profile.**

**Thanks! x**

**April 10, 2014.**


	4. Arrangements

**(\)_(/)  
(='.'=) Happy  
(")_(") Easter!  
**

Disclaimer: same as before.

* * *

_Arrangements _

Ok, so Rachel hadn't been prepared for something like that.

_I recruited a new male lead for Vocal Adrenaline. Brody's out._

She looked at her mother with her mouth open. She blinked.

Rachel wasn't at a loss for words often but this... Shelby knew how to get under her skin.

_A new male lead. Brody out of VA._

Yes, she had imagined her junior year to start different.

She walked up and down the foyer still trying to process everything.

She wasn't sure if Shelby was kidding but it didn't stop her mind from imagining different scenarios that could possibly explain her mother's- well, what was that anyway- insanity, perhaps?

Maybe Shelby was just trying to punish her for neglecting her lead duties at the Invitationals? Maybe Shelby had a fight with Quinn's dad over some unimportant wedding arrangements? Maybe it was already April Fool's Day? (She checked her watch just in case. Nope. Not even close to April.) Maybe Shelby fell and hit her head? Rachel looked up. That could explain it.

"You didn't hit your head, did you?"

Shelby knitted her eyebrows.

"I mean you can't be serious about this one. Why would you even consider to recruit a new male lead?" Rachel laughed about this idea.

For a moment Shelby looked at her daughter in surprise. She had thought that she would have been more convincing but Rachel didn't seem to realize what she had just said. She regained her voice.

"Auditions start tomorrow." Shelby massaged her temples, trying to stop the headache to form. "I considered to recruit a new male lead because Brody wasn't enough." Rachel shook her head. Shelby raised a brow. "We both know that."

Rachel stamped her foot. "But-"

Shelby raised her voice. "This isn't about Brody, Rachel. This isn't about your relationship with him." She paused. "This is about Vocal Adrenaline."

Rachel was trying to say something but Shelby continued, not giving her any chance.

"Vocal Adrenaline didn't win Nationals the last two years because of _his nailing _performances. This is _your_ credit." Rachel was surprised by her mother's compliment. "Well, the singing at least." Rachel rolled her eyes at this. _Of course._ This is what she'd rather imagined.

"But I still don't understand this. I mean we won the last two years, didn't we? Why change the group dynamics which obviously worked?"

"This is the point Rachel. It worked for two years. How long do you expect will that work anymore?"

Rachel shook her head trying to shake these thoughts off. She didn't want to imagine Brody not being her male lead anymore. He was her boyfriend for crying out loud. This was sure going to be a relationship wrecker. No, no no no. She didn't want to imagine this. Her mother most likely _did_ hit her head. Rachel wanted to shake her mother.

She needed to calm down. Now. She took a deep breath. She breathed out and repeated the procedure. She wasn't going to get a panic attack. Not about something like _this_. She could deal with this. She would be able to handle this. She had been able to handle far worse. She just needed a second. Or two. She took another breath and looked at her mother.

"How did you imagine this to work? And what did you mean with auditions start tomorrow?" she asked calm.

"This new male lead I was talking about… He's as talented as you and he sure knows that. I was talking to him after the Invitationals and he thought Giselle was lead."

Rachel gasped for breath. She sure wouldn't like to know where this was going.

"There are going to be re-auditions."

"What do you mean?" Rachel asked with a slight spark of hope that this wasn't going _there._

"It means exactly what I said" Shelby answered.

_Well, that much about this theory._

Rachel shook her head staring at Shelby in complete disbelief. She was going a bit too far now.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

Shelby stayed calm. She had expected something along those lines.

"So you want me to _what_?"

"Re-audition." Shelby repeated. Rachel blinked. She needed to sit down.

She walked to the living room her mother following her and she sat down on the couch. The couch she and Brody used to watch movies on together. The couch she and Brody—she shook off her memories getting up again. She didn't want to go there now.

She looked at her mother not knowing if she was kidding or not. She couldn't do this, right? Not even the re-audition part but she couldn't do this to Brody. They had won two national titles together and he tried to get a scholarship. He was a freaking senior who was going to get his lead position taken away from him because of some _boy _she never meet before. _As talented as me, _she snorted. That she'd never heard singing. _Just great._

But then again it was her mother she was talking about. Of course she would come up like an idea like this. She had never liked Brody. Separate them by taking away his lead was an incredible idea. Why hadn't she even expected it?

Rachel started to shake her head. Shelby looked at her amused.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"I'm trying to get rid of the water that has to be in my ears. I seem to be misunderstanding everything today. Something has to be wrong with them. Maybe I should just go see a doctor."

Now it was getting ridiculous.

Shelby raised her voice not wanting to discuss any longer. "Rachel!"

"But- what- why? You've just got to be kidding me!" She looked at her mother but Shelby remained silent. "Fine!" Rachel said. "Then make Giselle lead again too if that's what you want! If that's what _he _wants!"

_Wow. Rachel could really be annoying. _Shelby had always assumed her students were overreacting a little but she hadn't seen that stubborn part of Rachel before. The normal stubbornness, yes, but this reached a complete new limit.

"Don't be ridiculous."

_"Me_?" Rachel shrieked.

* * *

After another fifteen minutes of convincing, Rachel finally got to admit that her mother's motives didn't seem that suspicious. She believed that she did it for the team, for another Nationals title. She was persistent about that after all. Rachel wasn't really pleased with everything, especially the re-auditioning part (like seriously, competing with Giselle again?) but Shelby exposed the plan to her that didn't really change a thing. Well, besides the male lead part of course.

Shelby told her that she had met the rest of Vocal Adrenaline earlier for a team meeting. She told her what she had told them when she said that there was going to be a new male lead. Brody hadn't been invited but she had called him before. It had seemed like he wasn't really surprised, especially after Coach Corcoran was Rachel's mother and she got to know about him and his choking in New York. Brody hadn't been devastated about the fact that he got replaced but he still had the dignity to ask for a re-audition. Shelby had agreed because, first of all it wouldn't change the fact that Jesse was going to become male lead and she had somehow admired Brody's persistence, and furthermore she had thought that a little competition between her students at the start of a new school year couldn't be that bad. It would get everything out of her students and she had liked that idea.

Shelby told Rachel that she would stay lead because she was the best and Giselle wouldn't be able to change a thing about that. Rachel had stopped Shelby at that.

"I don't think this is going to work," she said.

Shelby looked confused.

"You want everyone to re-audition but nothing's really going to change in the end, right?" Rachel looked at her mother. "It's not like I want to disagree, we both know that the only option for winning Nationals is me being lead, but maybe you were right when you said that we needed to shake things up. That we needed to change group dynamics for once." Rachel breathed deeply as if not believing what she was going to say. "Maybe Giselle should take lead and I will just stay in the background for the beginning."

Shelby didn't want to believe what Rachel just said... but it made sense.

Maybe it would be better not to lump Rachel and Jesse together at the very first opportunity. _There would be dead man_, she thought.

Coach Corcoran knew that it would be difficult to get these two working together without them being at each other's throat every minute. She didn't knew Jesse well enough but if he really was anything like her daughter there _was_ going to be drama. So Shelby went through everything again and agreed.

"And there's one condition," Rachel said. "I don't want him to know that I was lead. I want to get to know him before he starts an act around me because of who I am. And our relationship? No."

Shelby smiled. "I guess that won't be a problem. But we would have to change a few things…" she said with Andrea on her mind. "You'll meet him on Monday. Let get him a different impression of you..."

* * *

Quinn felt that something was wrong when she had ended her phone call with Rachel a few hours before. Rachel hadn't called back and Quinn had decided to make her own investigation when her phone rang.

"You're late," she said when she picked up.

But to Quinn's surprise it wasn't Rachel on the other side of the line. "Hello Quinn," Shelby said.

* * *

**That conversation between Shelby and Rachel at the beginning? You have no idea how much fun it was to write that. Even I was annoyed of Rachel at the end.**

**I guess the real story begins next chapter. Until here it was more of an introduction I actually didn't plan. Idk if I keep the length like that but who cares?**

**Happy Easter Holidays. April 20, 2014.**


	5. Competition

**Happy May Day! **(I know there's just like an hour left of it but I promised to update today and this is it...)  
**And a special _Thanks_** **to** Daddy Directioner** for giving me my first review.** Best. Easter. Gift. Ever.

* * *

Disclaimer: I don't own anything. All characters are borrowed from... _TV_.

* * *

_Competition_

Rachel stood in her bedroom looking in the mirror with a frown on her face.

The girl in the mirror was wearing a blue cotton-shirt with a big yellow bow knot and a dark red pleated skirt. When Rachel looked down on her reflection she saw herself wearing mustard yellow knee highs. She mustered them wondering why they wouldn't even match with the hideous knot on her shirt. And her shoes… These red-brownish ballerina shoes that were shining so much that Rachel had to close her eyes.

Rachel opened her eyes again trying to absorb her new looks. The corners of her mouth twitched. She wasn't sure how long she could keep up with the act they were going to put on. It didn't look good in relation to an outfit like that.

She regained her confident posture. She was fine. Rachel touched her gold star necklace forgetting all of the bad memories she connected with the girl in the mirror.

She put her hands on her hips and put on the brightest smile she was capable of. She looked in the mirror again. _Wow. This is never going to work, _she thought.

Rachel heard a knock on her door. She turned around when Shelby put her head round the door. She shot her a knowing look.

"Katie's downstairs," she said cheerful .

Rachel turned around one more time looking at herself in the mirror her eyes widening. _Now it is time to freak out, _she thought. _Where did I maneuver myself into?_

She grabbed her bag, ran down the stairs and closed the front door before she could change her mind again.

There in her front yard was standing Katie, one of her classmates and best friends since kindergarten.

She raised a brow at Rachel's appearance.

"Don't ask."

* * *

"Just spill it already," Katie said.

Katie Gibbs was one of Rachel's best friends. They had met in kindergarten and their love for music had made them inseparable since then. They had nearly attended every class together during school and they were both parts of Carmel High's show choir. She was just 5'2'' but she had a big voice and she had dreamed of a singing career as long as Rachel could recall.  
She was sixteen and a junior just like Rachel and Quinn. She had hazel eyes which built a great contrast to her dark brown hair that stopped right after her shoulder blades.  
Katie was one of the nicest and strongest people Rachel had ever met although she had a difficult childhood. They had always been there for each other like sisters and Rachel was thankful for a friendship like theirs.

Rachel sat on the passenger seat of Katie's Range Rover and sighed. She clapped the vanity mirror down and looked at Quinn who they had just picked up. Rachel raised a brow and Quinn shrugged.

"It's complicated," she said. Rachel didn't know how to explain Katie the whole scheme they had come up with the day before.

Quinn rolled her eyes. "It isn't," she said. "It's actually pretty easy. You attended the Vocal Adrenaline meeting Shelby had called for?" Katie nodded. "It all revolves around what you were told yesterday."

Katie shot Rachel a look. "So this is all about this new male lead?" She shook her head in disbelief. "What the hell have you come up with this time?"

Rachel grimaced. "I-"she tried, the sound of Quinn's straw trying to take the last sip out of her morning smoothie interrupting her intentions.

Quinn smiled apologetically. "Sorry."

Rachel exhaled.

"I thought it wasn't fair. When Shelby told me that she wanted to replace Brody. I couldn't stand the idea. And what she told me then was even worse. I mean who replaces their male lead who- and I just have to point that out again- had been jointly responsible for winning two National titles along with me… for some unknown boy who nobody had ever heard singing before? I mean seriously; who comes up with an idea like this?"

Katie pulled into the parking lot of Carmel High her brows knitting. She backed her car into one of the parking spaces that were exclusive for Vocal Adrenaline members. She turned off the engine, put on the hand brake and turned to Rachel.

"She didn't tell you?" she asked with a look of concern on her face.

Rachel looked confused. "Told me what?"

"He- the new male lead, we all knew who he was when Shelby told us. I'm surprised she didn't tell you."

Rachel suddenly felt sick about everything that she obviously hadn't been informed about recently.

"You know what? I don't care. He could be Freddie Mercury himself and I wouldn't give a damn. He wants to become the new star?" Rachel boiled with rage not believing what apparently important information Shelby had kept from her _and only her_.

Katie winced. _If Rachel just knew how right she was…_ "I thought it would… I thought you two would-"

"Fine, but he has to beat me first! This is my game, my territory and I'm not going down without a fight! "

Rachel unstrapped herself, opened the passenger door and slammed it behind her as she stormed off making her way to the school.

Quinn and Katie sat in the car for another moment watching Rachel's dramatic exit.

They watched her as Brody approached her, not looking very pleased as she came in view, and they heard Rachel shout that he shouldn't ask but follow her. They disappeared into the school building a moment later.

"Well, that was something," Quinn said and smiled. She hadn't seen an outburst like that in ages. Sometimes it was just fun to watch.

Katie nodded towards the direction Rachel had just disappeared in and frowned "And what does this all have to do with her appearance?"

The two of them got out of the car standing side by side. The sun was rising, the sky blue without a cloud, and the birds chirping. The day had seemed so promising.

"She didn't want him to know that she was female lead. She wanted to get to know him first before he was going to become _her_ new male lead."

Katie looked at Quinn. "And whose idea was that?" she asked, referring to her clothes.

"Shelby."

Katie threw her hands up in horror. "But doesn't she know what she is doing to Rachel?"

Quinn shrugged. "Andrea was as pleased as you when she had to turn Rachel into this. She didn't like the idea either." She took a deep breath. "But I guess it's Rachel's fault too. As long as she is able to deal with it it'll be fine but if not… you know."

Katie just nodded and they made their way to school.

* * *

"What the hell, Rachel?!" Rachel dragged Brody into the choir room and closed the door behind them. She swirled around shushing him.

Brody narrowed his eyes to slits. "Don't you dare shush me! I know exactly what you are doing and I'm not going to let you get away with it this time! What the hell have you been thinking, Rach?"

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"Do you really believe that I don't know that this was _your_ idea? Don't you think it's a little obvious that once I choke at an audition you get yourself a new male lead?"

Rachel swallowed. "Excuse me?!"

She had expected him to talk about her new clothing, about how she couldn't make him look so bad with her like that on his side. This is what it had looked like when she had left Quinn and Katie behind on the parking lot. But that he had expected her to be responsible for his replacement? Well, that was something to get mad about.

It wasn't like Rachel couldn't understand that he was mad (although Shelby had told a different story) but that he believed that she had been involved in this from the beginning was just unbelievable. People could think they trusted each other because, well, they were a couple and dating for a few months and they had known each other way longer before they had gotten together. But it didn't seem to stop Brody, though, to blame everything that had happened to him on her. What a wonder that he didn't actually think she was responsible for his failure in New York too.

"Oh, just admit it, Rachel. It's not like it's going to change things anyway, isn't it? Your mom had always decided to take my lead away, didn't she? Sure, she agreed to let me re-audition, to give me, as she put it, a second chance, but we both know that she made up her mind, right? That she had just waited for an oppurtunity?! My failing audition in New York just gave her the perfect reason!" He looked at Rachel in disgust. "And I trusted you!" He laughed dryly and the whole atmosphere in the room changed, Brody's voice getting low. "I would have never dreamed of you wanting to get rid of me because of that. I thought you were the one who had always backed me up... especially against Shelby."

Every intention of screaming back suddenly vanished as Rachel looked at the defeated boy in front of her. He had never seen him this vulnerable before. And in this moment she decided to fight for him. Not only for their relationship to last longer then this very moment, and Rachel knew that it hung in the balance and she needed to get it back on the right track immediately, but also for Brody to get an honest chance by re-auditioning. She needed to talk to Shelby about this again

"I do," she said and took a step closer towards her boyfriend. "I do back you up and I always will. Especially against Shelby," she said her voice becoming a whisper. "She didn't tell me anything until yesterday. I promise you," Rachel took Brody's hands in hers, "I promise you that I wasn't involved in all of that. I really didn't want to lose my male lead, you know? Especially since he's quite handsome and dating this extremely talented female lead..."

A smile formed on Brody's lips and Rachel knew she was forgiven. Rachel wrapped her arms around his neck and smiled relieved.

"Will you tell me what's with your clothing?"

She looked into his blue eyes grinning. "Later," she said and just as she pulled him closer for a kiss the door to the choir room suddenly pulled open, separating them in surprise.

"Sorry, I didn't want to interrupt anything."

The boy in the door was about to close it again but Rachel interrupted him. "It's fine. We were about to leave anyway."

Brody put an arm around Rachel's shoulder and they were leaving the room when Rachel brushed the boy's shoulder. She was about to apologize but as she turned around she only saw him heading in the other direction. The curly haired boy wasn't looking bothered at all.

* * *

_Jesse has a timing, doesn't he? ;)_

**So this chapter was originally longer. I cut it.  
I cut it because I didn't have any time left to finish it to update in time and because I'm not sure of which length we would be talking about right now if I had managed to finish it. So the next chapter is a continuation from here.  
I'm sorry. The good thing? I'm probably going to update again at the weekend.****  
**

**Katie Gibbs is borrowed from... _Once Upon A Song_. I just love that movie. (I don't get that there's no fanfiction about it...)  
I like her character and **Lucy Hale's** voice and she gets her own special storyline just because I feel like it :D You'll see :D  
This is going to be so much fun *grins*.**

**May 1, 2014.**


	6. Let's Be Friends

**Disclaimer: same as always.**

* * *

_Let's Be Friends_

"So your his... tour guide?"

Quinn nodded. "Shelby told me to give him a tour around the campus. She wanted to tell the other members of the team what has changes since, well, you know, your meeting _yesterday_. What she and Rachel came up with. The whole re-auditioning thing. And in the meantime I'll meet him in the choir room and give him a tour. I'll bring him to the auditorium later."

Katie nodded. She and Quinn were walking across the schoolyard following Rachel into the school building.

"And how exactly did she make you agree to it?" Katie watched her clock. " I mean it's half past six. Not that I would think that you are a late riser or so but this isn't even your school... don't you have an own school to attend to?"

Quinn laughed. "I do, but it doesn't start until nine today. New pupil and stuff. And our show choir isn't rehearsing at this time of the day in general... or at all. We wait until our classes are over, you know? And we go home after that too," she said hinting that Vocal Adrenaline's work schedule wasn't exactly what she- _what people_- would call normal.

"Haha, you're so funny", Katie replied sarcastically. "But for real now. Is there anything in for you?"

Quinn answered with a smile. "You mean besides the fact that I will get to know the boy who is obviously going to make Rachel's life more than a drama then it already is?" She pulled a bunch of keys out of her bag, a key chain demanding Katie's attention. " I guess so. "  
"No way", Katie said. Quinn shrugged her shoulders. "I get it until Rachel gets her driver's license."

"Does she know yet?"

"Nope."

"Oh dear." Quinn nodded beaming. "Just wait until school is over and I pick her up." Katie could only shake her head.

"So you get the keys after your little tour?"

"Si."

The two girls turned around the next corner leading them into a hallway full of trophy cases. It weren't just trophies of Vocal Adrenaline but of other clubs too. Trophies of students who had won chess or various athletic tournaments. The walls of the hallway were filled with trophies of every size. And then the pictures. Every student that had been somehow involved in any tournament win had a picture taken of him and they were hanging just behind the trophies. It seemed like a memory/victory hallway and it impressed Quinn every time she visited. It was one of her favorite places at Carmel. Some of the pictures were missing, Quinn noticed, but that had been part of the plan  
The door to the choir room was just at the end of the hallway and it was open.

"I think your tourist is already there," Katie said and they were about to go to it when two people came out of the room. Rachel and Brody. They were going in the other direction, Brody an arm around Rachel, probably heading to the team meeting (or was it a rehearsal already?) in the auditorium.

Katie patted Quinn on the back. "Good luck," she said and ran after the couple. "Rachel wait."

Quinn watched the three disappear around the next corner and then made her way to the choir room.

* * *

Rachel and Shelby were standing in front of one of the doors which lead to the auditorium. The other Vocal Adrenaline members had already taken their seats but Rachel had insisted to talk to her mother again before they started. She just wanted Brody to get a second chance just like Shelby had promised him.

"Look Rachel, I know he's your boyfriend and all, but we have talked about this before. I recruited Jesse and he will become male lead. There's no way I'm going to change my decision. It's final."

_Jesse. _It was the first time she heard the name of the new boy who was going to replace Brody as male lead. She scrunched up her nose. She sure wasn't going to like a boy with a name like this. It wasn't remarkable at all. But then again, _Brody_ wasn't either.

The seconds passed and Rachel didn't know which arguments to bring up to change her mother's- to change her coaches mind. She got desperate.

Then she said "And what if we only pretend to give him a second chance? I can't change your mind, I already tried enough to not know that by now, but it'll be over between us if there isn't anything I can do for him." She pointed her finger at Shelby. "And this will be your fault. I'm not sure how I will be able to forgive you again this time."

_Again. _Shelby winced. She knew which other things Rachel was referring to. And if she was honest with herself she knew that Rachel was right. She wasn't a saint and she had made mistakes in the past. Maybe she shouldn't try to repeat making mistakes that were somehow involving her daughter. Maybe it was time to clear her debts. It was a thing to try.

She didn't like the idea and she knew that Rachel could make things worse with Brody but when she said "I don't know if that's such a good idea. If Brody is going to know anything about that…" Rachel had only waved this thought aside telling her that he wouldn't get to know anything about their agreement. If they could call it an agreement. It wasn't like things would change. But Shelby had agreed. She would need to tell Jesse about this and she didn't expect him to react to it all joyful but there wasn't any other option . And it took a load off Rachel's mind.

* * *

"Hey there, stranger."

When Quinn had entered the room just a moment ago, Jesse had been facing the window. Now he turned around. He looked at her with a cocky grin.

"So your this tour guide Coach Corcoran informed me about?" Jesse nodded understandingly. "I guess it could have been worse."

Quinn's mouth dropped slightly. She didn't know if she should be flattered or offended.

She took a closer look at him and she understood why he was so self-assured. She didn't need to like it but she understood because he was really, like really really, handsome. He was quite a bit taller than her, like 5 inches, which made him 5 feet 11. His clear blue eyes were that mesmerizing, people would fall in love with him just by looking at them. And then his hair. This curly, dark brown hair that even Quinn wanted to touch. It seemed like it wanted to be ruffled. His whole appearance was simply gorgeous. He was wearing a black leather jacket and… he just knew how to make an impression. God, she would have fallen for him if she hadn't been in a relationship. And she was _so _thankful for that. Especially not since he was competition. Especially not because he was Rachel's new male lead and declared enemy. _Rachel, _Quinn thought. _This is going to get worse than expected. _Jesse's whole appearance was going to make everything worse. He looked way too good and Giselle and the other girls would surely agree. The only one who wouldn't let herself be dazzled by his looks was Rachel. But even then Brody wouldn't stand a chance. If Jesse was singing as good as he was looking they were doomed. Not only Rachel but New Directions too. They needed to exchange more than just those few words for Quinn to get a better expression.

She hold out her hand like he hadn't already made a lasting impression. "Quinn Fabray."

He took it. "Jesse St. James."

* * *

After her conversation with Rachel, Shelby once again informed her Vocal Adrenaline students about the newest developments.

Rachel had taken a seat at the back row along with Katie and Brody. They already knew what this was going to be about. And besides Rachel was annoyed of the curious looks the others were giving her.

It didn't take long for getting to the re-auditioning part. Rachel smiled. She knew what was about to come and she didn't want her classmates to think she was concerned. _There was no need._

A hand was raised. "I understand it correctly when you say that we are all able to re-audition for every possible position?" Giselle asked. Shelby nodded.

Giselle looked over her shoulder. She smiled triumphantly when she spotted Rachel. But Rachel didn't seem to be concerned and Giselle wondered. She knitted her brows.

"Not that I would call that decision into question, it was about time after a performance like that at Invitationals", Giselle pointed out," But why isn't Rachel objecting?"

_Good question,_ Rachel thought. But they had already covered it. _Laryngitis._

"Rachel won't be able to perform for the next weeks. She needs to rest her voice", Shelby explained.

Giselle didn't seem to need any more explanation. She obviously enjoyed the fact that she was going to get her opportunity to shine as the rightful star of Vocal Adrenaline.  
Rachel rolled her eyes. She should have known- no, she should have been prepared for a reaction like that. And she definitely shouldn't have given her the satisfaction of seeing it. _Damn it._  
Shelby sensed her daughter's uneasiness the moment it already disappeared again. She knew that Rachel was the one who originally came up with the idea of Giselle taking lead but she also knew that Rachel didn't like it. She needed to bring Giselle back to earth for Rachel's sake. She owned her that at least.

"Especially since we need Rachel at her best when we perform _Funny Girl_."

Oh yes, Shelby really did enjoy the looks on her students faces. They were priceless.

Giselle was at a loss for words. It wasn't very often so Shelby enjoyed the moment because it certainly wouldn't last that long.

"What does that mean again?" _See? _"You are not really implying that she gets Fanny, right? I thought those were open auditions as well."

Shelby nodded and gave Giselle a smile. "They are." And with that she let the matter rest.

A few rows behind Katie and Brody were giving Rachel questioningly looks. She shrugged her shoulders. Rachel hadn't been informed about any of this either. But she wanted to hug her mother. Not only because they were going to perform _Funny Girl_ (!) but because that served Giselle right for her snobbish behavior.

She pulled out her phone and wrote a message.

* * *

He had been slightly disturbed when she had introduced herself_. "Jesse St. James"__._ Most of the girls he had got to meet would have already fallen for him. Or they had at least swooned over him. _This was something new, _he thought and he didn't really know how to interpret it. But they shook hands nonetheless and he acted like he hadn't been disturbed by her reaction.

She soon suggested to start their little tour and he had agreed. He took a last look in the choir room, the scent of the girl he earlier interrupted with her boyfriend still filling the air, and closed the door behind them.

She-_ Quinn_ was guiding him through the school giving him the most important information needed. He wasn't really paying that much attention. It wasn't like he was going to get lost at this place. This was a school, for crying out loud. How difficult could it be to attend some classes? His major reason for joining this school was the opportunity he was given by Ms. Corcoran for becoming male lead of her show choir. The rest didn't really interest him that much.

But they continued their tour anyway. It didn't take long for them to get to the personal part of their meeting. She had asked him how old he was, _17, _why he was still a junior then, _he had been _studying _abroad for a year and needed to continue from where he had left, _if he was that good of a singer which he'd just answered with a glare that resembled Rachel's (_didn't she know?_) and other question like that.  
At the point when she had asked him what he wanted to do after high school, or with his life at all he had just smirked and answered "Broadway." The moment he said that a smile appeared on Quinn's face and Jesse wondered if she had similar plans. _Now it is time to get to know her better,_ he decided.

He sneered "What?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing, really."

Jesse raised a brow. "Didn't look like it." He looked at her questioningly. "Do you have any problem with me getting to Broadway?"

She muttered something he couldn't understand.

"So?"

She shook her head again. "No, god. No. I could care less about your plans for the future since you're competition and all."

He only nodded though being a bit disappointed. Not that he didn't understand her motives because he agreed with her on that but it meant they hadn't something major like this in common. "It's just that you remind me of someone who has the exact same plans as you," she then added. That drew his attention. "And that would be who exactly?"

She looked into his blue eyes and she had never seen a boy being more interested in something than him at this very moment. She looked at him and she felt herself again being drawn to his features. It was funny, though, that he wasn't looking interested at her _because_ of her. And she somehow started to like this part of his personality. They were looking at each other for a moment longer when she finally answered. "My sister."

_So she has a sister_, Jesse thought. He wondered if she looked anything like Quinn.

"And how old is she?" He wanted to bite his tongue as soon as the question escaped his lips. _Great move._

His worries proved to be baseless as soon as he saw Quinn smirking at him. "She gets sixteen in a few months."

"And she can sing?" he asked doubtful.

"That she can. She is a hell of a singer."

"Mh."

Jesse didn't like the way Quinn looked at him. Like she could see right through him. He needed to fix things before they got out of control.

"No worries," Quinn winked. "You'll get to meet her sooner or later."  
_Too late_. He needed to get them back on track. He cleared his throat. "Ah."

They were walking though the school and Quinn led them to the hallway they were coming from.

Quinn stopped in front of the trophy cases he had noticed before. She pointed to one of them explaining that this was the one from VA's Sectionals win two years ago. He only nodded. He didn't even seem to wonder why there weren't any pictures like they were with the others.

They talked for another few minutes when Quinn's phone vibrated in her pocket.

Jesse saw her reading a text message. _You can bring him. _

He decided to do something unusual for him. "That reminds me…" he said pulling out his phone too. "We should exchange numbers."

It wasn't because he wanted to keep in contract because he was interested in her or anything but there had been a few things in their conversation that had seemed interesting, yes, promising perhaps. And, yes, Quinn was really ok. She wasn't interested in him that way either and he liked that she didn't even seem to be influenced by his good looks and charisma. She was different. And perhaps they could become something like friends.

* * *

**Originally this chapter was named after **_Emily Osment'_s** song **_Let's Be Friends_** and I wanted to add it but it didn't fit.**  
**Then I was torn between naming the next chapter after it or keeping it like this. You see the result. **  
**In the end both names fitted but this one fitted better in here because of obvious reasons.**  
**Emily Osment's song was originally the reason the idea of this story developed in my head so I needed to include it.**  
**The "Hello stranger" part was the very first thing I wrote although it turned out to have gotten different.  
**

**And again: I cut it. It's 1:30am and there are more than 2,600 words and I don't have any energy left. I need to sleep...**  
**Another chapter and then this first day will be done. Finally.**

**And now to you. Please review. It would just be nice to know what any of you think. Be as _honest_ as you what. **  
**I already swallowed my pride :)**

**And now... Goodnight. May 19, 2014.**

**Whoops, I forgot to upload it :D 9:30am...**


	7. Toxic

**Disclaimer: I don't own any character or lyrics (songs). **

* * *

_Toxic_

"So you are expecting me to audition?" Jesse scoffed. "After you just got me to transfer here? After you offered me the position of Vocal Adrenaline's male lead?!" he asked. He wanted to be completely sure of what he had just heard leaving his coaches mouth. She couldn't be serious, could she?

Shelby noticed the sarcastic note Jesse had stricken. She didn't like it and she would have gotten him to do at least 30 push-ups if she hadn't understood why he reacted this way. It wouldn't even have been necessary if Rachel hadn't insisted to give Brody an _honest_ chance. So she decided to fight back fire with fire. She was Coach after all. "Yes, well, this is exactly what I meant with telling you '_you need to get a song prepared for auditions__.__'" _

She had to be kidding him.

Jesse stared at Ms. Corcoran at a loss for words. He couldn't believe this was happening. _She_ had recruited _him_. What the hell had changed in the past two days? Hadn't they been on the same page at Invitationals? He just wanted to start arguing—

"As I told you before," Shelby pointed out, "auditions are starting this week. I can't make an exception for you. Especially since some of my students have never heard you singing before," she continued thinking of the only one who didn't know about him (_Rachel)_, "and can't understand why you get the lead position within a second. Some of them aren't really easy to convince…"

Jesse slowly nodded not completely convinced about the necessarily of him auditioning yet.

"And you should know, too, that most of them are as ambitious and driven as you- if not more. But that pertains just a handful of students; you shouldn't worry about it. It won't change any aspect of the deal we made when I recruited you. They just need a good reason to accept you as their-" Shelby cleared her throat very well knowing that she wasn't telling Jesse the whole truth, "lead…"

"And who exactly had the power of making you change your mind on that one?" he asked sarcastically. Again. He was really persistent…

Shelby rolled her eyes at this. But then again, he wasn't that wrong. He had a point.

"I'm clearly capable of deciding on my own." _Thanks_, she nearly added.

"Okay. So this is it? I really have to do this?"

"I guess so."

They both fell quiet, Jesse trying to accept that he needed to win the Vocal Adrenaline member over by singing- by _auditioning,_ and Shelby by mentally cursing her daughter and her daughter's boyfriend for the problems they may made her trigger.

"You don't have anything to get done by tomorrow. That should be enough time for you to prepare something," Shelby said.

Jesse smiled at her, the kind of smile that lets the blood freeze in your veins, and Shelby knew that this couldn't possibly mean anything good.

"That won't be necessary," he said. "I will get over with this at the end of the day."

* * *

Rachel and Quinn were just standing a few feet away from Shelby and _the boy_ that Rachel didn't plan to refer by his name.

Rachel nodded towards the two of them. "Your first impression?" she asked.

"Incredible handsome and completely aware of it," Quinn answered. Rachel glared at her.

"And besides that Jesse is…-" Quinn struggled, "I don't know, ok? We haven't talked enough for me to give you a detailed characterization. What did you expect?"

"Something more than handsome," Rachel answered.

"_Incredible_ handsome," Quinn repeated.

Rachel shot her another glare. "I understood it the first time, _thanks_."

Quinn laughed holding her hands up in defense . "Ok, ok. The one thing that surely interests you is that Jesse wants to get to Broadway… just like you. He told me that he studied abroad for the last year, he's seventeen and a junior like you and me."

Rachel knitted her brows. "A junior? But didn't you just say he's seventeen?"

Quinn nodded. "That contains the part of the abroad studying."

Rachel groaned. "So it isn't only that I have to put up with him as new male lead but in my classes too? Great. Can't wait for it."

Quinn raised a brow. "Just give him a chance. He didn't seem that bad back on out little tour and I'm sure you two would work great together_. And_ you are united by Broadway. That just has to mean something, don't you think?"

"We are united by nothing," Rachel spat. "And no, I don't think so. I don't even know if he is that good at singing and, beware, at replacing Brody."

"_Jesse_ is it," Quinn said.

"Jesse is _what_?"

"His name," she answered. "Jesse's his name. You haven't referred to him by anything but his name. Just saying."

Rachel shrugged. "And I don't have any reason intending to change that. We're not going to become best friends."

Quinn looked at Rachel in disbelief. She couldn't believe how childish Rachel was acting. "I see that."

* * *

"Ok then," Shelby said trying to ease the situation. "I'm going to introduce you to my _assistant _then."

They walked over to Rachel who was in conversation with Quinn. "I see that," Quinn said.

"Quinn," Shelby said. "Thank you for showing Jesse around." They slightly hugged, Shelby slipping Quinn the key to Rachel's Range Rover.

"No problem," Quinn gave her a smile. She turned around to Jesse. "It was nice to meet you."

"You too," Jesse answered. Rachel rolled her eyes and Quinn shot her a look. "Later, Rach," and with that she left.

Shelby cleared her throat. "So Jesse, I want to introduce you to Rachel Berry. She is, well, my right hand." Shelby didn't know how to call it else. Jesse looked curious at the girl in the weird clothes. She was the girl he had met earlier in the choir room. Long brown hair, chocolate eyes, plump lips. A little big nose, though. "Rachel, this is Jesse St. James, new male lead of Vocal Adrenaline." Jesse held out his hand smirking. Rachel looked at his offer and replied to his smirk with one of her own. He couldn't believe it. At first Quinn, and now that Rachel girl. And Rachel seemed even less _un_impressed than Quinn. What was wrong with these girls? Didn't he have any effect on girls anymore? The seconds passed and they never broke eye contact. Somebody coughed. Coach Corcoran, right, she was there too. She gave Rachel a challenging look and after Rachel rolled her eyes she reluctant took Jesse's offer and they shook hands.

* * *

_Ok. So he is _incredible _handsome. Who cares? _

Rachel had accepted the fact that _Jesse_ was nice to look at but that didn't change anything. She sat back on her seat next to Katie who gave her a questioningly look she brushed off and hit the send button.

"Where's Brody?" Rachel asked. You could think she hadn't noticed before that he wasn't sitting next to her.

"He got a phone call."

Shelby and Jesse were walking towards the stage and Rachel was watching them closely.

"Ah."

Or him to be exact. She was watching him closely. The boy. Jesse.

"Rachel?" Katie said after noticing the way Rachel's eyes were going.

Rachel's head snapped around. "Hm?" _Talking about obvious_.

Katie giggled. "He's cute, isn't he?"

That brought Rachel back to reality. She shook her head no. This was ridiculous.

"Like I would buy that," Katie replied. "You were watching him."

"I was observing his actions. There's a difference."

"Yeah, sure. Keep telling yourself that."

Shelby entered the stage, leaving Jesse in a seat in the front row, the other students already whispering and staring at him.

"See, you're doing it again," Katie said. Rachel glared at her.

"Doing what again?" Brody asked. Rachel's eyes widened.

"She's—" Katie started but she was cut off by her coaches voice.

Brody took a seat. The auditorium went silent.

"Okay," Shelby said. "I've recently informed you about Vocal Adrenaline's newest member." She pointed in his direction and he got up from his seat. "Jesse St. James. Do you want to introduce yourself?"

He waved it off. "Nah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure?" Shelby asked demanding.

He was looking through the faces of his new classmates. "Yes, sir," Jesse answered.  
_50 push-ups__,_ Shelby thought_._ He was already testing her limits. But the rest of the team laughed which meant he was already making a good impression. It even raised a smile from her daughter. _It could be worse_.  
Jesse grinned, enjoying the reactions that were placed on the others faces. He had noticed the looks the girls had been shooting him the moment he had entered the auditorium. So he still _had_ an impact on girls. His eyes drifted to the back row. Rachel had a little smile on her lips. It disappeared the moment they laid eyes on each other. _Hm. _He couldn't quite figure her out yet_. _They stared at each other for another moment when a student's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"When is he going to sing?" A girl asked.

Shelby gave Jesse a look and he nodded. "He's going to audition after school."

"Audition?" Another girl asked and Jesse recognized her as the girl who had taken lead at Invitationals.

"Yes, Giselle, audition," Shelby repeated. "Haven't we talked about the re-auditioning thing before?" Her eyes drifted to Brody. Shelby's look hadn't gone unnoticed. Jesse followed her gaze and it landed on the boy sitting right beside Rachel. _Ah. That would explain it._ He was the boy Rachel had been in the choir room with. They were a couple. _Now that makes more sense, _Jesse thought. Not only would that explain why she had been reluctant towards him, he replaced her boyfriend as lead, but why she had been so resistant to his looks too. The boy didn't look that bad. A little _boy band_ like, though.

Shelby clapped. "Okay, then. You are dismissed for now. We'll be back together here when classes are over. Oh, and Rachel" Shelby added. "Don't forget to show Jesse around."

Jesse looked at Rachel again and he wondered why she had been instructed to do that. He wondered why Ms. Corcoran hadn't chosen someone with a similar schedule. She didn't look any older than fifteen in the end. Rachel rolled her eyes and turned her attention to Jesse. She smiled.

The school bell rang.

* * *

"I'm pretty sure Quinn already showed you everything but just in case you get lost you can follow me today," Rachel offered.

They were walking down a hallway next to each other and Jesse gave Rachel a questionable look.  
"That's really _liberally_ from you, but maybe I should get myself a classmate who has the same classes."

Rachel laughed. "Yeah, sure. Search for another student that has a schedule like me. Good luck with that."

Jesse groaned. This girl could be annoying. Rachel turned around the next corner, Jesse following her.  
"No offense, but who cares about your schedule? I have my own classes to attend, as I have been informed about."

Rachel raised a brow looking at him. "I wish it was that easy…" she muttered.

"What?" Jesse asked.

They turned around another corner when Rachel stopped in front of a classroom. The sign next to the door read B118. Jesse scanned the schedule he had gotten from the school clerk. There. Room B118. Math.

Rachel opened the door looking at Jesse.

"I don't care about what you do, but I have some classes to attend, so if you excuse me-" she said and slipped into the room.

He looked after her with his mouth open. _What was that?_

He entered the room, searching for Rachel. Once he spotted her, he planted himself in front of her table. She didn't even bother to look up. "What?" she asked.

He put his school supplied down on the table next to her. "Could you explain this to me?"

"I'm sitting there," a girl said. Jesse gave her a dazzling smile. She blushed. "Go ahead…"

Rachel looked up. She wanted to vomit. "What there's to explain about?"

He gestured to her.

"Oh, you mean that we attend the same class? Well, I already wished you good luck with finding some other student with a schedule like mine. Or should I say one like ours, buddie." She punched him on the shoulder.

Jesse blinked. "But you're what? Fifteen?"

Rachel smiled at him.

"You're a junior, too." Jesse recognized.

"Very well spotted, Sherlock."

"So we have a similar schedule?" He asked.

Rachel shook her head. "No, my friend. We have exactly the same schedule."

Jesse stayed silent. Rachel nodded. "Yeah… I'm as thrilled as you."

* * *

The rest of the school day hadn't turned out to be any different. When Rachel had told him they had the exact same schedule he wasn't completely believing her. There hadn't been any reason to. There was a age difference of two years between them and yet they were both juniors. And then it had turned out right what she had told him. There really wasn't anyone else with a schedule like theirs. _F*cking fantastic_. Jesse could imagine better things than to spend so much time with a girl who despised him.

And then his audition started. It hadn't taken him long to choose a song because, honestly, the song fitted him. The song fitted the situation. The song was him.

The other Vocal Adrenaline members watched him entering the stage. He grinned.

The music started..

**Well Hell sees her shadow on my backseat**  
**And her friends are standing right in front of me**  
**World wide from the Cimarron to Turkey**  
**Open up, saying everybody loves me**

Rachel snorted.

**And you don't have to make a sound**  
**'Cause they got what you need, what you need**  
**Oh, oh, oh, oh, oh**  
**Got love for the people that have warned you**  
**Got love, all your sentimental virtue**  
**Eight balls with the takers that'll make you**  
**Lay cards with the lovers that'll hate you**

He shot Rachel a challenging look. He knew that they wouldn't get along. She would never accept him as her boyfriend's replacement. She would never accept him as lead. She hated him. And he couldn't care less. Why miss the chance to piss her off then? Two could play that game.

**And you don't have to make a sound**  
**They got what you need, what you need**  
**Make you say**  
**Oh my, feels just like I don't try**  
**Look so good I might die**  
**All I know is everybody loves me**  
**Head down, swaying to my own sound**

Jesse rocked his hips seductively.

Some of the girls were close to fainting.

**Flashes in my face now**  
**All I know is everybody loves me**  
**Everybody loves me, everybody loves me**  
**Well I, play the music, don't stop till I turn gray**  
**Stars forever like John Sousa never fade**  
**He had a beautiful child, named her Desiree**  
**Hope I'm remembered for the things that I never made**  
**'Cause you don't have to make a sound**  
**When they got what you need**  
**Make you say**  
**Oh my, feels just like I don't try**

He knew there wasn't much of a choreography. He almost just sang. But they just wanted to hear him sing. This was it. The pure power of his voice.

**Look so good I might die**  
**All I know is everybody loves me**  
**Head down, swaying to my own sound**  
**Flashes in my face now**  
**All I know is everybody loves me**  
**Everybody loves me**  
**Everybody**  
**Everybody, oh**  
**Everybody**  
**Everybody**

**Don't need my health**  
**Got my name and got my wealth**  
**I stare at the sun**  
**Just for kicks all by myself**  
**I lose track of time**  
**So I might be past my prime**  
**But I'm feeling, oh so good**  
**Yeah**

And he really did. He enjoyed performing on stage. He enjoyed the admiration. He lived for the attention. He loved nothing more than this.

**Oh my, feels just like I don't try**  
**Look so good I might die**  
**All I know is everybody loves me**  
**Head down, swaying to my own sound**  
**Flashes in my face now**  
**All I know is everybody loves me**  
**Everybody loves me**  
**Don't you know who you are?**

**Everybody**  
**Everybody**  
**Everybody**  
**Whoa**

The second the last note escaped his lips, the other member of Vocal Adrenaline were on their feet giving him standing ovation.  
He _was_ lead.

* * *

Rachel had left the rehearsal somewhere between the ridiculous reactions of her female teammates and- no, she had left right there.  
She allowed herself to admit that he was a good singer. That he was even a better singer than Brody and she allowed herself to wonder what they would sound like together.  
And, boy, his voice was smooth.

Rachel shook these thoughts off and waited for Quinn who said she'd pick her up.

And she did. The moment she saw her entering the parking lot of Carmel in _her _Range Rover she knew it had been enough for one day.

She got into the car without another word and Quinn started the car.

"So you admit that he's incredible handsome?" Quinn asked referring to the message Rachel sent her.

Rachel gave her a tired look. "He's toxic," she answered. She wasn't referring to his looks...

"Indeed. That he is," Quinn replied and with that she started humming...

_**Baby, can't you see **_  
_**I'm calling **_  
_**A guy like you should wear a warning **_  
_**It's dangerous **_  
_**I'm falling…**_

* * *

_Songs:_  
**_One Republic _"Everybody loves me"  
_Britney Spears _"Toxic"  
**

**I really don't know how I got that idea but I loved the imagination of Jesse singing that song. **

**And Jesse and Rachel? Well, what there's more to say about? I love their relationship :D**

* * *

**Nele? Alles Gute zum 20ten. **

**May 26, 2014.**


End file.
